Fixed-wing – Page 1258
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News
Netherlands deploys interim F-16 reconnaissance system
The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNAF) has begun evaluation tests of the medium-altitude reconnaissance system (MARS), which it intends to deploy with its dedicated Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon reconnaissance squadron. The MARS pod is intended to provide an interim medium-level reconnaissance capability, supplanting the ageing Orpheus pod, ...
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Evergreen picks up USN demonstration
The US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) has selected operator Evergreen Helicopters, rather than Kaman Aerospace, for further civil-helicopter demonstrations of commercially operated vertical replenishment (VERTREP) of warships. Kaman's K-MAX was used successfully to demonstrate the concept over the past two years, but the MSC says that it ...
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Pitching forward
A McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-18E/F Super Hornet has undergone initial carrier-qualification tests on the nuclear-powered USS John Stennis, the US Navy's latest aircraft carrier. This significant milestone has been achieved in the wake of a grounding caused by an engine problem, and with political rough seas and a tactical-aircraft budget ...
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Strategic retreat
THE TROUBLE WITH collaborative projects is that, in order for them to succeed, people have to collaborate, whole-heartedly. Such commitment has rarely been a feature of European collaboration on defence projects, and it certainly appears to be absent in the case of the Future Large Aircraft (FLA) project. The tragedy ...
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India down to last carrier
There is growing concern in New Delhi that the operational readiness of the Indian navy's air arm will be seriously affected by the navy having to retire one of its two remaining aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant, without provision for a replacement. Following the retirement on 31 January of ...
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BAe is poised to make decision on JSF partner
British Aerospace, a loser in the initial Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) shortlist, will decide shortly whether to join forces with Boeing or Lockheed Martin, the US aerospace firms selected by the Pentagon to continue development of the next-generation tactical aircraft. BAe had been teamed with McDonnell Douglas (MDC) ...
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Norway favours F-16/EF2000
Lockheed Martin's F-16 Block 60 and the Eurofighter EF2000 are understood to have been shortlisted by Norway to meet its KFA-96 fighter requirement. The decision is expected to be revealed shortly, following final ratification in Oslo. The Norwegian defence ministry maintains that it has yet to make the ...
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New Zealand keeps an open mind on naval helicopter choice
The New Zealand Government is still keeping its options open on the selection of a new naval helicopter, in spite of Australia's recent decision to opt for the Kaman SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite over the rival Westland Super Lynx. New Zealand's recently formed coalition Government is not now expected ...
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Singapore assesses attack helicopters round the world
The Singaporean defence ministry has begun evaluating rival European, Russian, South African and US attack-helicopter designs, with the aim of eventually acquiring a force of up to 30 aircraft. A team from the Republic of Singapore air force is understood already to have made a visit to France ...
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Indian Flanker deliveries begin
India will receive its first four Sukhoi Su-30 combat aircraft in March as part of a $1.5 billion deal for the purchase of 40 aircraft, dubbed the Su-30MKI. Alexei Fedorov, the recently appointed general director of AVPK Sukhoi, says that India will receive eight of its aircraft this ...
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US Army signs T800 deal for UH-1 Hueys
The US Army has agreed to re-engine 131 Air National Guard Bell UH-1 Hueys with the Allison-AlliedSignal LHTEC T800 turboshaft as part of a deal to provide production and in-service evaluation of the engine before it is needed for the Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche. The early production and fielding ...
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Yakovlev resumes its Yak-130 flight tests
Yakovlev has resumed flight testing of its Yak-130 advanced jet trainer following structural-load testing and modifications to the wing-tips. The Yak-130 was first flown in mid-1996, but was grounded shortly thereafter, following a problem with its winglets. The prototype was then flown with the winglets removed. ...
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CTW tests variable-speed refuelling drogues
A variable-speed drogue designed to allow air-to-air refuelling of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft from the same unit has undergone initial flight tests in California, USA. The Chico-based Conversion Tank Works (CTW) of Aero Union is developing the multi-role drogue for several applications, including a forthcoming requirement from Lockheed ...
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UK slashes FLA numbers
The Royal Air Force is planning to cut its European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) military-transport requirement to only 25 aircraft - half the initial Ministry of Defence (MoD) commitment that up to 50 aircraft could be ordered. The proposed cut, confirmed by the MoD, is the result of ...
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Israel suffers worst-ever military-helicopter crash
Two Israeli air force Sikorsky CH-53 2000 transport helicopters collided on 4 February while flying at night from northern Israel to the security zone in south Lebanon. All the 73 soldiers and aircrew on board both helicopters were killed. The two CH-53s took off at about 18.45 local ...
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Pentagon reveals its budget plans for 1998
THE US Department of Defense is seeking to spend $250.7 billion during fiscal year 1998 - a 2.3% drop from the budget approved by the US Congress for the previous year. The Pentagon budget request is $2.8 billion above what the Clinton Administration planned to request, but it ...
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Turkish air force F-5 upgrade field narrows
Fewer companies than expected have responded to the Turkish Government's request for proposals (RFP) for the Avionics Modernisation Program for its Northrop F-5s, say Turkish officials close to the project. The RFP was issued to 19 international companies in October, and the response date, originally 16 December, 1996, ...
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Hawk's wings clipped by crack
The Royal Air Force has temporarily grounded all its British Aerospace Hawk jet-trainer aircraft for inspection after a fault was discovered during "routine maintenance". After checks which take about 4h per aircraft, inspected aircraft are already flying again, the UK Ministry of Defence said on 6 February. The fault, says ...
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Dynamic Avalon
A series of notable current Australasian civil- and military-aviation competitions virtually guarantees that the Australian International Airshows DownUnder at Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, will be a dynamic event in industry terms. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has recently named Kaman as its preferred bidder for medium shipboard helicopters, ...
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Kaman develops external seat for K-MAX
Kaman Helicopter has developed an external passenger seat for the single-seat K-MAX helicopter. Dubbed the "Class A" seat, it weighs less than 9kg, can be fitted to either side of the aircraft and is readily detachable. Kaman says that the seat has been produced as a result of ...